The Acupuncture Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) conducted an inquiry into the acupuncture ads in response to apprehensions regarding deceptive information.
Three acupuncture ads and craniosacral therapy, which were promoting their services, have been prohibited due to their dissemination of inaccurate assertions concerning their effectiveness in treating long Covid
According to an article published by Evening Standard, three acupuncture ads promoting acupuncture and craniosacral therapy have been banned for making false claims regarding their ability to treat long Covid. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) investigated the acupuncture ads following concerns about misleading information.
One Facebook ad and an Instagram post by craniosacral therapist Jo Llewellyn suggested that the therapy could treat long Covid. Similarly, Peachy Acupuncture’s Instagram post indicated that acupuncture and B12 shots could alleviate symptoms of long Covid.
The ASA determined that these acupuncture ads claims lacked robust scientific evidence to substantiate their effectiveness in treating long Covid.
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Despite Peachy acupuncture ads’ assertion that there was significant evidence supporting acupuncture’s symptom reduction benefits, the ASA maintained that the evidence presented did not meet their required standard.
According to an article published by Sky News, serenity Acupuncture, in Bude, referred to a resource by the BAC (British Acupuncture Council) discussing acupuncture’s effects on the immune system in relation to long Covid.
However, the ASA found this evidence to be inadequate in substantiating the efficacy claims made in acupuncture ads regarding the treatment of the condition.
In light of the investigation, Jo Llewellyn Craniosacral Therapist acknowledged the insufficiency of evidence for their claims and removed the acupuncture ads.
The ASA concluded that all three acupuncture ads were misleading and breached advertising standards due to the lack of credible evidence to support their claims about treating long Covid.